1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a machine tool, in particular a handheld power tool, which has a housing for receiving and mounting both a drive unit and a tool, in which the housing has two separate housing parts which are connected to one another via a connecting device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Handheld power-tools driven by electric motor are known, such as drills, angle grinders, saws, or the like, which have as their drive an electric motor that is disposed in a motor housing and whose driving motion is transmitted to a drive shaft with a tool disposed on it. Grip elements are connected to the motor housing and are embodied as separate components, and the user holds the handheld power tool by these grip elements. The grip for instance comprises two grip half-shells, on each of which, to make the connection with the motor housing, an annular, radially inward-oriented connection projection is disposed, which protrudes into an associated annular gap on the motor housing.
In general, in making a connection between the various housing parts of a machine tool, care must be taken that forces and moments that occur in typical operation will also be absorbed over a long period of operation by the housing without interference. Thus in handheld power tools, for instance, not only forces in the longitudinal direction but bending moments between the various housing parts as well have to be transmitted. The connection between the housing parts must be capable of absorbing these forces and moments.
European Patent Disclosure EP 0 493 033 A1 shows a handheld power tool whose housing in two parts with a front housing part for receiving and mounting a drive unit 2 and with a rear housing part that forms the grip part. The two housing parts are connected to one another via a connecting device, which has two connection projections on the rear housing part and complementary connection recesses on the front housing part. There are two connection projections and two connection recesses each, which are located one after the other in the connection and release direction, which at the same time is the longitudinal axis of the handheld power tool. The connection projections have a rectangular cross section, as do the connection recesses, and extend perpendicular to the connection and release direction.